Phonograph



H. K. SANDELL PHONOGRAPH. APPLICATION FILED JULY 24.1918.

1,325,209. Patented Dec. 16,1919. I I r 2 SHEETSSHEET I. A

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H. K.'SANDELL- PHONOGRAPH. APPLICATION FILED JULY 24.12MB.

.Patented- Dec. 16,1919.

TS-SHEET 2- 2 SHEE aieZZ i n I, Mil n 4 UNITED STATES PATENT oEFIoE.

HENRY x. SANDELL, or CHICAGO, rumorsussrenon To HERBERT s. M'ILLs, 0 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

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. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented-Dec. 1c, 1919.

Applicationnled July 24, 1918. Serial No. 246,447.

To all whom. it may concern: Be it known that I, HENRY K. SANDELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of broken plan view I of a phonograph constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the needle-arm showing the mounting of the needle thereon; and Fig. 5 .is a

section on the line 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the case or cabinet of the phonograph, the upper'surface of which serves as a base for the mounting of the partshereinafter described. A table-shaft 11 which extends out of this cabinet carries a table 12 of the usual disk- -like form, this table supporting and driving a disk-record 13, all according to the standard practice in this art.

' Some distance away from the edge of the table 12, a base-plate 14: is secured to the top of the case. The plate 14 preferably has cast integral therewith on its lower surface an elbow 15 within which there is journaled for swinging movement in a vertical plane a second elbow 16, which projects upwardly through an aperture in the plate 14, a pinbearing 17 serving to hold t e swinging elbow 16 in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 3. The upstanding vertical portion ofthe elbow 16 serves as a hearing within which there is mounted forswinging movement in a horizontal plane a diaphragmbase 18, the reduced neck of which telescopes within the elbow 16. The disk-like head of the diaphragm-base 18 is inclined at a considerable angle to the center-line of the neck portion. A diaphragm 19 which may be of the usual construction and supported in the ordinary manner between tubular rubber washers 20, lies parallel with the head of the diaphragm-base and spaced therefrom by a' slight distance, being held in position by a ring 21, which may be formed as an integral part of a needle-arm 22. The latter is shown as of tubular crosssectlon, slightly tapering and extending in an approximately horizontal line outward over the surface of the table 12. The arm 22 connectswith the near side of the ring 21 directly, as shown in Fi s. 1 and 2,. but is joined to the far side of t e ring by a relatively narrow integral bridge-piece 22 thus leaving the outer surface of the diaphragm 19 1D efiect'directly exposed to the atmosphere.

At its outer or free end the arm 22 has I .cesses in the needle-bar; .Limitation of the horizontal rocking movement of the needlebar about the vertical axis providedby the two pin-studs 26 is effected by a pair of flat springs '28 disposed on opposite sides of the center of the bar, each rigidly secured to the bar, and fastened by screws 27 The rocking movement of the needle-bar is transmitted to the diaphragm 19'by a relatively fine tension-and-compression member such as the iron wire' 29, which has one I end secured to the center of the diaphragm,.. extends axially through the bore of the arm 22 andfhas its outer end secured to one end of the bell-crank needle-bar 24:, as shown at 3 The operation of the phonograph construction described is as follows: The swiveled elbow 16 and the telescoping neck of the diaphragm-base together constitute a universal joint by which the needle-arm 22 may move toward and away from and over the needle 25 will be vibrated horizontally (it 110 being assumed that the record is of this type) and in such horizontal vibration of the needle, the needle-bar will, as a whole, rock about the vertical axis passing through the pin pivot-studs 26. As a result of this action the wire 29 which is attached to the offset iortion of the needle-bar will be sub jected to alternating tension and compression of a periodicity and amplitude determined by the record groove, and through its connection with the center of the diaphragm 19 will set the latter into vibration and thus reproduce the tones represented by the re cord groove, the neck or" the diaphragm base and elbows 16 and 15 connecting with the sound-chamber or horn of any approved design for the purpose of amplifying and delivering to the atmosphere the reproduced tones.

It is to be noted with respect to the novel construction described that the wire 29 which transmits mechanical vibrations of the needle to the diaphragm is not mounted at right angles to the latter but instead, at a relatively acute angle, as shown. This 0011- struction has the advantage of accentuating those vibrations of relatively great amplitude which constitute the true sound to be reproduced, and at the same time damping out the scratch-vibrations, which are of relatively small amplitude, and which result from the imperfections of the record. This desirable result is believed to be furtheraided by the mounting of the needle bar and by the relatively long tension-and-compression member 29 which serves as a connection between the needle-bar and the diaphragm.

Certainly it is true with respect to the construction described that records which are so worn and imperfect as to be unusable with ordinary phonograph constructions reproduce satisfactorily with my construction. It is also to be noted that the angularconnection of the wire and diaphragm magnifies the movement of the latter with respect to the needle.

In the specific construction illustrated in the drawing the acute angle between the transmission member and the diaphragm is of the magnitude of 18 to 20. It is readily apparent however that the construction in accordance with the invention is not limited to this angle, as it has been found that a material increase or compounding of the movement of the longitudinal member is secured at the diaphragm with acute angles reaching the magnitude of 45 The present phonograph construction lends itself very readily not only to control of the volume of the tone produced, but likewise of the tone quality. Both of these results may be easily attained by the use of a damping device for the wire 29. In the drawings I have shown one such dampener as consisting -l/Vhile the wire 29 is primarily a tensionand-compression member, the alternating stresses therein are found to produce lateral vibration of the wire, which lateral vibration is controllable by the slider 49.

While in the foregoing I have described in considerable detail one specific embodiment of my invention, together. with my theories as to the functions and advantages of the various parts, it will be understood that this is illustrative only and for the purpose of making the invention more clear and that the invention is not limited to the precise details described, nor dependent upon the soundness of the theories which I have advanced, except in so far as such limitations are included within the terms of the accompanying claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in the invention as broadly as is permissible in view of the prior art.

What I claim is:

1. In a phonograph, a diaphragm, a needle-support movable with respect to the diaphragm and a connection between said support and the diaphragm and making an acute angle with the latter such that a movement of the support will be compounded at the diaphragm.

2. In a phonograph, a diaphragm, a tension-and-compression member secured to the center of the diaphragm, a needle-support mounted independently of said tension-andcompression member, and connections between said needle-support and said member for alternately exerting thrust and tension upon the latter in the reproducing movement of the needle, the tension-and-compression member being attached to the diaphragm at an acute angle such that the movements imparted thereto are compounded at the diaphragm.

3. Ina phonograph, a diaphragm, a needle support movable with respect to the diaphragm, a member connecting said needle support to the diaphragm and capable of longitudinal transmission of the movement of the needle support to the diaphragm, and forming an acute angletherewith such that the movements imparted to the support will be compounded at the diaphragm, and means for controlling transverse movement of said member.

4. In a phonograph, a diaphragm, and a Hen-er K. sannnnri. 

